When it was finished she put it in a blank envelope, saying to herself:
“I will not direct it to any particular individual; for if I do not find one high official dignitary at leisure to see me I must seek another.”
Then she put on her outer garments and sat down to wait for the carriage she had ordered.
It came at the hour, and she went downstairs and took her place in it. She gave the order to the President’s house and drove thither.
Ah! with what a beating heart she got out of the carriage, ascended the broad stairs and presented herself to the porter. It was almost a relief to her to be told that the President could not receive any one that day.
“After all, I doubt if it would have been of any use to call on him,” said Elfie to herself, as she returned to the carriage and gave the order:
“To the War Department.”
Arrived at that building, Elfie once more left her carriage, entered the house and inquired her way to the office of a certain “high official dignitary,” who must be nameless in this story.
Elfie was shown into an ante-room, where she found herself in company with about half a dozen other persons of both sexes, who were waiting to see the great man.
As she was the last arrival, she had to wait until each of these had been singly received and dismissed.